One of the unpleasant diseases that have become widespread in the modern world is inflammation of the bladder, or cystitis. This disease can be independent, and may be a complication of other pathologies. Cystitis is a disease of the urinary tract, which consists in inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bladder. It occurs in men, women, and children. The female sex is more susceptible to this disease due to the peculiarities of the anatomy of her body: the female urethra is short and wide, which is very convenient for infection to enter the body. Many people consider cystitis a female disease. Here the question arises: do men have cystitis? Answer: Of course, it happens, just less often. In percentage terms, the incidence of cystitis in women is about 25%, and in men - 0. 5%.
The main cause of the development of an infectious inflammatory process of the bladder is Escherichia coli, but chlamydia, ureaplasma and Candida fungi are also dangerous. The development of cystitis is facilitated by a sedentary lifestyle that provokes circulatory disorders of the pelvic organs and the bladder, decreased immunity, metabolic disorders, menopause, consumption of spicy foods and diabetes mellitus. Cystitis occurs in two forms: acute and chronic. In acute cystitis, the patient has frequent and painful urination with possible bleeding. Symptoms of chronic cystitis are similar, but not as pronounced. Chronic cystitis in the absence of the necessary treatment can turn into interstitial.
All forms are able to make serious changes in the usual way of life, reduce efficiency and introduce psychological inconvenience, therefore, at the first symptoms, competent treatment should be started by a specialist. Cystitis is treated by urologists and gynecologists. These specialists determine how to treat inflammation of the bladder, prescribe treatment, which, as a rule, includes pills to increase immunity, relieve inflammation, and antibiotics. Cystitis is a multi-species disease. One example of cystitis is trigonitis. This means that the inflammation has spread to the cystic triangle. If only the lower part of the triangle is affected, we will talk about cervical inflammation of the bladder. Cervical cystitis owes its name to the localization of inflammation in the region of the bladder neck. Its treatment is a complex process that requires the patient to adhere to bed rest, a strict diet and drinking plenty of water.
Speaking of female cystitis, it is important to mention that this disease tends to worsen before menstruation. Cystitis during menstruation is a fairly common occurrence. During this period, due to the anatomical and biological characteristics of the female body, the penetration of bacteria, protozoa and viruses into the genital tract and urethra becomes faster and more dangerous. In addition, during menstruation, the immunity of a woman or girl is very vulnerable, and if hygiene is not observed, the blood shed can become an excellent source of food for uninvited guests. Moreover, fungi of the genus Candida are located in the vagina, capable of provoking cystitis themselves with a decrease in immunity.
Children's cystitis is also more common in girls than in boys. This is due to the proximity of the short, wide urinary system and the anus. Also, inflammation of the bladder in children can be caused by hypothermia, a weakened immune system and a hereditary factor. Cystitis in babies is facilitated by the constant wearing of diapers, which is so common today, and the presence of stones in the urinary organs.
Inflammation of the bladder in men is typical for representatives of mature age. Male symptoms of this disease are identical to female ones. Almost always, the cause of the development of cystitis in men lies in the penetration of infection through the blood from neighboring inflamed organs.
In addition to the traditional perception of the causes of cystitis, psychosomatic provocations are also possible. The psychosomatics of cystitis has a place to be, because this disease manifests itself during a period of life changes. Often inflammation of the bladder is observed in people who tend to restrain their emotions or suppress them.
Types of cystitis
As noted above, acute and chronic cystitis is distinguished. Acute inflammation of the bladder is understood as the cystitis that first appeared in the patient, which did not turn into a chronic disease. If exacerbations of cystitis occur 2 or more times within 6 months or 3 or more times within a year, then such cystitis is called recurrent. Exacerbation of cystitis and acute form of cystitis are not synonyms. Exacerbations indicate complications of the disease. In the absence of effective and complete treatment, cystitis from an acute form becomes chronic. The development of acute cystitis is unexpected. Symptoms of acute cystitis are more pronounced than chronic ones. Exacerbations of the disease mainly occur in the spring and autumn periods. In most cases, gram-negative enterobacteria and coagulase-negative types of staphylococci become a provocateur of the development of infectious cystitis. Cystitis is diverse in its types. Doctors distinguish the following types: hemorrhagic, interstitial, radiation, sexual, postcoital, cervical, hypercalceuric, chemical, allergic and parasitic cystitis. Let's take a closer look:
- hemorrhagic cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder caused by an infection. It is characterized by excretion of urine with an unpleasant odor and bloody discharge;
- with interstitial cystitis, the inflammatory process develops due to a non-infectious nature. This species is characterized by pain when filling the bladder and a decrease in its volume. With interstitial cystitis, not only the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, but also the submucosal layer;
- one of the consequences of radiation therapy is radiation cystitis. This happens due to damage to the bladder mucosa;
- due to changes in the microflora on the basis of sex, sexual cystitis develops. Its subspecies is venereal cystitis, caused by sexually transmitted diseases;
- when the infection enters the urethra and bladder, postcoital cystitis develops. Its main pathogens are Escherichia coli, mycoplasmas and other infections;
- cervical cystitis - inflammation of the neck of the bladder. This species may present with urinary incontinence;
- in case of metabolic disorders, hypercalceuric cystitis may develop, in particular, when the kidneys begin to secrete calcium salt crystals;
- with intoxication of the bladder, chemical cystitis develops, but it is not very common;
- allergens that have entered the human body (in the form of food, drugs, cosmetics and household chemicals) can cause allergic cystitis;
- helminthic invasions are often capable of causing a parasitic form of cystitis
Regardless of the type of cystitis, the treatment will include antibacterial drugs, bed rest, dry heat, herbal decoctions and sufficient fluid intake are possible.
Symptoms of cystitis
The symptoms of cystitis in women, men and children are basically the same. As a rule, cystitis provokes frequent urination in small portions, bringing a feeling of pain and burning. Urine becomes cloudy and acquires a sharp unpleasant odor. It is not uncommon for a small amount of blood to pass through the urine. With cystitis, weakness and pain in the lumbar region can be observed.
Symptoms of cystitis in children and in the elderly are not so pronounced and can manifest themselves in the form of temperature changes, gastralgia and nausea. In old age, cystitis may be asymptomatic. Another symptom of cystitis is urinary incontinence.
The first manifestation of the disease is the frequent urge to urinate. The desire to go to the toilet may appear during the day and at night every few minutes. Sometimes women lose control over this process, and urination occurs spontaneously.
As the inflammatory process develops, the clinical picture is supplemented by the following symptoms:
- severe itching and burning in the vulva;
- suprapubic pain that radiates to the lower back;
- a slight increase in body temperature;
- feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder;
- change in color, smell of urine.
In severe cases, cystitis attacks are accompanied by high fever, nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine.
The female symptoms of cystitis are dysuria and nocturia. Characteristic for such states is the application of efforts to urinate (the need to push), involuntary urinary incontinence, pain at the beginning and end of the urination process. In acute inflammation of the bladder, there is an increase in body temperature and a weakened state of health.
Symptoms of cystitis in men are similar to those in women: frequent urination, especially at night, cramps and pain in the pubic area and perineum, the presence of mucus and blood in the urine.
Cystitis in children is not always immediately determined, because it is more difficult for a child to explain his condition and the nature of pain, and newborns will not be able to explain anything at all. In children, there is usually a state of weakness, discomfort in the lower abdomen, pain and burning, as in adults. The color of urine becomes dark yellow. The child becomes lethargic, and there is a temperature of up to 38 ° C. Cystitis is less common in boys than in girls.
Causes of cystitis
The most common cause of cystitis is the penetration of bacteria into the bladder through the urethra, in particular Escherichia coli. Cystitis after intercourse develops due to prolonged friction of the urethra. As a rule, the first symptoms of cystitis after sexual intercourse are observed after 12 hours. The cause of the development of cystitis can be an allergy to intimate cosmetics. In children, the cause of cystitis can be a pathology of the urinary organs, when the flow of urine is disturbed and it can fall back into the ureter. Older people often have difficulty moving around and lead a sedentary lifestyle. This leads to incomplete emptying of the bladder and infrequent urination, which can lead to the development of cystitis. Cystitis affects people who often abstain from urination for various reasons. The presence of a tumor can be one of the causes of cystitis, but this phenomenon is infrequent.
The causes of cystitis in women are associated with a violation of the microflora of the vagina. Most often, women manifest infectious and allergic types of inflammation. Gonorrhea with no less success can provoke cystitis. Hypothermia is considered a big risk for women. So, let's highlight the most common causes of cystitis in women:
- non-compliance with personal hygiene;
- hypothermia (sitting in the cold);
- urinary stasis;
- weak immunity;
- pregnancy;
- surgical intervention in the genital organs and their infection.
The causes of cystitis in men are the presence of diseases of the urinary system, against which inflammation of the bladder is a complication. In general, the causes are similar to those of women: stasis of urine, hypothermia, E. coli and gonorrhea (and other STDs) also provoke the disease. Cystitis in men may be associated with tuberculosis of the genitourinary system. In the presence of infectious and viral diseases, cystitis can develop due to the hematogenous pathway. The development of cystitis is promoted by diabetes mellitus, abdominal trauma, stress and surgical interventions in the genitourinary system.
Classification of cystitis in women
According to the nature of the course, acute and chronic forms of the disease are distinguished. Acute cystitis usually develops spontaneously after exposure to provoking factors. If the symptoms of the disease persist for more than 14 days, chronic inflammation occurs.
In acute cystitis, the inflammatory process does not go beyond the mucous membrane, submucosal layer. The clinical picture is represented by frequent urination, pain in the bladder area, the presence of pus in the urine, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder, false urge to urinate.
Severe forms of acute inflammation are accompanied by an increase in body temperature, severe intoxication. Painful sensations are localized not only in the region of the pubic bone, but also give to the perineum, genitals. In the urine there are many leukocytes, cells of the mucous membrane of the bladder, bacteria.
Chronic cystitis in women is accompanied by structural changes that affect the walls and muscles of the bladder. In this case, the disease does not develop independently, it is usually preceded by diseases of the kidneys, urethra, genital organs, sclerosis of the bladder neck, prostate adenoma, urolithiasis. Given the multifactorial etiology of chronic cystitis, in women, treatment is selected only after determining the causes of the development of the disease.
The disease often proceeds with relapses and exacerbations. In chronic inflammation, damage to the kidneys, neck, lateral, posterior and anterior walls of the bladder is not excluded.
Diagnosis for cystitis
The basis of diagnosis for cystitis are laboratory tests. To confirm or identify cystitis, the patient may be referred for the following tests:
- complete blood count - makes it possible to identify the inflammatory process by increasing the ESR and leukocytes;
- urinalysis - in the presence of cystitis shows protein. The results of microscopic examination of the sediment in cystitis will give an increase in leukocytes and erythrocytes. Urine with cystitis becomes cloudy and may become pinkish in case of bleeding;
- urinalysis according to Nechiporenko - they turn to him in cases of the presence of erythrocytes in the urine sediment and a high number of leukocytes. For this analysis, it is necessary to pass the middle stream of urine in the morning;
- bacteriological diagnosis of urine allows you to establish the culprit of cystitis. This is important for prescribing antibiotic therapy;
- special test strips for leukocytes allow you to calculate their high concentration in the urine;
- nitrite test strips make it possible to detect infection in the urinary tract.
During menstruation, women should not give urine for tests, as the results may be false.
Rules for passing a urine test for cystitis
Before you start collecting morning urine, you must rinse the genitals with warm water or a disinfectant solution. Before a urine test, you should not eat foods that can affect the color of urine, it is better not to drink compotes, fruit drinks and kefir (affects the acid flora). You can also not take diuretics and laxatives.
Treatment of cystitis
Can cystitis be cured permanently? This is probably the main question that worries people who have encountered this disease personally. This is possible if the right treatment is started at the right time. How and how to treat cystitis, the urologist determines. As a rule, the doctor chooses complex therapy. In addition to drug treatment, compliance with food, bed and drinking regimens plays an important role. Let us clarify that the amount of daily water intake should be at least 2-2. 5 liters, and the diet implies the consumption of diuretic products and the rejection of alcohol, coffee, spicy, fried, smoked, salty, sour, canned food and preservatives. Compliance with these regimens is a general rule in the treatment of cystitis in women, men and children. Let us examine in more detail aspects of the treatment of cystitis.
Treatment of cystitis in women does not require hospitalization and can be done at home. A heating pad applied to the lower abdomen and a warm bath will help to cope with unpleasant symptoms. For the period of treatment of cystitis, women will have to temporarily refuse sexual intercourse. The desired result of therapy is the normalization of the vaginal microflora. Women are mainly prescribed penicillin antibiotics to neutralize microbes and preparations with beneficial bacteria to stabilize the microflora. Candles with belladonna will help to pacify the inflammation. Subject to the requirements of the doctor, the treatment lasts less than a week. Important questions for women: how to treat cystitis during pregnancy and is it dangerous for the fetus? Cystitis is a disease that, if not properly treated during pregnancy, can provoke complications in the form of kidney infection and premature birth. For the treatment of cystitis during pregnancy, doctors choose the safest drugs. Infectious cystitis causes difficulty, because its treatment requires antibiotics that are not recommended for the fetus. For the treatment of cystitis in pregnant women, painkillers and anticholinergics, drugs to relax the muscles of the bladder are used. Cystitis after childbirth develops due to the clamped position of the bladder and impaired blood circulation during labor, catheterization and cooling, and also due to postpartum weakening of the immune system. Cystitis, which appeared during breastfeeding, is safer to treat with herbal preparations, but we must remember that, like any drug, only a doctor can prescribe it.
To eliminate pain, frequent urge to urinate, doctors prescribe antispasmodic drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The selection of drugs for cystitis in men depends on the current pathologies of the genitourinary system. Physiotherapy and sanatoriums will be good helpers to improve the condition after exacerbation and during remission.
As antibiotics for cystitis are used:
- fluoroquinolones
- nitrofurans
Treatment of cystitis in children should be prescribed and monitored exclusively by a doctor. Self-administration of antibiotics to children can lead to serious health problems in the future. Sick children, like sick adults, need rest, diet, and warm sitz baths. In the acute form, uroseptic, analgesic and antibacterial drugs are usually prescribed. The main task of parents in the treatment of children is strict adherence to medical recommendations, in particular the dosage of drugs and the duration of their use. Chronic cystitis in children is mainly the result of phimosis, genital infections, urethritis, diverticulum and other diseases. This suggests that, based on the comorbidity, the treatment of chronic cystitis will be lined up.
To prevent cystitis in children and adults, it is useful to take preventive measures. Prevention of cystitis includes adherence to hygiene rules (water procedures with soap every day), wearing clean linen, strengthening immunity, competent and healthy nutrition.
Medicines for cystitis
Preparations for cystitis in women, men and children include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and general tonic. Drugs of choice for cystitis with active ingredients: fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, furazidin. Alternative antibacterial therapy for cystitis with active ingredients: ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, levofloxacin hemihydrate. The first three drugs have been used to treat cystitis for many years and still have not lost their relevance. Let us consider in more detail the features of remedies for cystitis.
Broad-spectrum antimicrobials. The course of therapy with these drugs ranges from a week to 10 days. They are recommended to be consumed after meals. These cystitis remedies are well suited for first aid for exacerbations. The disadvantages of drugs include a large number of side effects.
The ideal antibiotic for cystitis with fosfomycin, so to speak. It is available in the form of tablets and powder for dissolution in water. This modern tool has a minimal list of side effects, which is a definite plus when choosing a medicine. The drug has a rapid absorption and action point directed at the bacteria that cause the development of cystitis. Just one tablet from cystitis allows you to achieve a successful therapeutic effect. This is hard to believe, but it has been proven that a single dose of an antibiotic helps to eliminate all the unpleasant symptoms of cystitis. But this is not all the advantages: the substance fosfomycin is effective and safe for the treatment of cystitis during pregnancy. It is recommended to take it before going to bed, after urinating. The effect of the antibiotic lasts 3 days.
In the treatment of cystitis, herbal remedies have also shown their effectiveness, which can be used together with antibiotics to increase the effectiveness of treatment and after an acute episode for a long time to prevent the development of another exacerbation. For these purposes, a long-term intake of decoctions of various diuretic and antiseptic herbal preparations or official herbal medicines is indicated. Treatment of cystitis with herbs is successfully combined with drug therapy. Studies have shown that the result of herbal medicine is observed after a couple of weeks. The advantage of using herbal preparations is their naturalness. But plants are not always safe for our body, so it is very important to respect the doses. The dosage of the use of herbal preparations differs depending on the age of the patient. So, for example, the daily dose of herbal tea for children under 1 year old is half a teaspoon, for children under 3 years old - 1 teaspoon, from 6 to 10 years old - 1 tablespoon, for adults - 2 tablespoons. Here is an example of a herbal collection recipe for cystitis, which you can cook yourself at home.
Prevention of cystitis in women
In half of the cases, cystitis in women relapses. To prevent attacks of the disease and their recurrence, it is enough to follow a number of simple recommendations:
- Pay more attention to personal hygiene. Girls from an early age should be taught to keep the genitals especially clean, to wash themselves every day and change their underwear.
- When choosing underwear, women should pay attention to its composition. You can not wear products made of synthetic fabrics and unsuitable in size.
- Drink plenty of plain clean water. Maintaining a normal water balance in the body strengthens the immune system, and frequent urination accelerates the removal of pathogenic microflora from the genitourinary system.
- Avoid hypothermia, wear clothes according to the season, do not wear short skirts and thin tights during the cold season.
- Do not tolerate the urge to urinate.
Many women do not consider cystitis a serious disease and try to cope with the pain on their own. The situation is especially dangerous when, on the advice of friends or acquaintances, they begin to take antibiotics. At the first symptoms of pathology, it is necessary to consult a doctor and strictly follow all his recommendations. The treatment regimen is selected strictly individually based on the nature of the course of the disease, its form and the presence of concomitant pathologies.